By Stan Rosenberg and Jim Welch
Massachusetts has consistently been a national leader in improving health care access and working to address high health care costs. We were the first state in the nation to provide near universal insurance coverage through health care reform legislation passed in 2006 and continue to pursue solutions to help drive costs down, such as those contained in legislation passed in 2012. These steps are a testament to the fact that as a Commonwealth we are willing to think creatively and boldly to achieve a healthcare system that works for all our residents.
Right now in the health care world there is a great deal of uncertainty and instability due to changes being considered at the federal level that would result in higher costs for seniors and children with disabilities, a loss of federal revenue for the state, and a reduction in payments for health care providers. It's unclear how such changes will impact the state's ability to deliver on its goal of universal access to quality, affordable health care. Without regard to what's happening in D.C., Massachusetts needs to continue to innovate and create a sustainable health care system for both our residents and our economy. Health care costs currently strain not only the state's budget, but also those of our businesses and families.
